Wow! Is she a superhero? Not in the usual sense of the word. She's going to be the new DPP.

Great! What's a DPP? Director of Public Prosections. The DPP runs the CPS.

And ... what's a CPS? When a crime has been committed, when the police have done everything they can, they call the CPS.

Ooh! Exciting! Criminal Punishment Squad? Crown Prosecution Service. They look at the available evidence and make decisions about who to prosecute in court, depending on whether there's a realistic prospect of a conviction, and whether a case would be in the public interest.

OK, this is getting less exciting. Does she have a costume? Barrister's wig. Business suit. Any good?

Not really. Well she is a lawyer, you know. She joined the CPS in 1986 and has been chief crown prosecutor for Sussex, head of prosecutions for the organised crime division and chief crown prosecutor for London, on her way to the top job.

Good for her. At last she can relax. I wouldn't bank on it. When she takes over from Keir Starmer at the end of October she'll have 6,800 employees and an annual budget of more than half a billion pounds to look after. She'll also have to resist constant pressure from politicians and the media, while being responsible for getting dangerous people off the streets and providing justice to victims.

I can see how that could become a headache. And this is for the whole country? Oh no. Only England and Wales. But Saunders has plenty of experience of pressure. She oversaw the successful prosecution of Roy Whiting for the murder of Sarah Payne, as well as last year's conviction of Gary Dobson and David Norris for the murder of Stephen Lawrence.